“I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.” With that stark assessment of his hampered ability to perform papal duties, Pope Benedict XVI declared he will resign his position, effective Feb. 28. This is big, to say the least. No pontiff has resigned in six centuries. News broke early this morning, and this morning’s papers are more concerned with Grammy Awards fallout than Vatican politics. But as for the rest of the day: expect to see Benedict’s aging face all over news networks as far as the eye can see.

Expect to learn more about one Canadian man who’s rumoured to be filling Benedict’s shoes in the Vatican City. You’ve heard his name before, likely, because he’s risen quickly in Rome’s ranks: Marc Cardinal Ouellet, the 68-year-old Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Quebec’s former archbishop once told La Presse that the pope’s duties “would be a nightmare” to perform. Cardinal Ouellet, welcome back to the national conversation.

The Church won’t select a Canadian to be Pope. Don’t be silly. Quebec has been ceded to secularism. The rest of Canada isn’t far behind. Ain’t no future Catholics there. Why select a Cardinal from a dying flock? Ditto Europe. A South American or African is far more likely.

The Church selected John Paul II to finish off the Soviets. The current frontline in the “clash of civilizations” is Africa. African is the happening continent for both Asia and the Islamic worlds. I expect an African.

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